The barber industry is booming in California. The state employment department projects that 5 thousand plus will be working by 2022—a nearly twenty percent increase from 2012! That means there’ll be an additional 230 positions available every year for aspiring stylists who want to get into this growing profession- all before you even add shop owners or self-employed hairstylists into the mix!
Overall, barbering is a great career for those who like to work with their hands and want something more than just desk jobs. In California, there are approximately 67 colleges that offer the Barbering/Barber vocational program. For the academic year 2019-2020, average tuition costs $15,028, and supplies cost an average of 1,700 dollars for public colleges in this state, making it an excellent choice if you’re looking into getting your barbering license; as a barber or stylist!
How Long Does It Take to Become a Barber in California?
In California, the first step to becoming a licensed barber is completing an extensive training program. This can take up to 10 months for full-time enrollment and consists of both classroom time and hands-on practice sessions with instructors who are experts in their field! After completing your bachelor’s degree or 1500 school hours’ worth of coursework on haircuts & styles at least two years ago, then you’ll need to pass written exams from the National Interstate Council of Boards Cosmetology(NIC).
Follow simple steps to be a barber:
The California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology regulates who can be a barber. To become licensed in this state, you must complete these steps:
By Completing a barbering training program
It should help if you started with a list of possible barber schools approved by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Pay particular attention to programs taught by experienced instructors who keep up-to-date on current trends in both fields, such as cutting hair or shaving beards. You’ll also need knowledge about how people’s physiques change over time, so it looks good when styled after each stage!
Apply for a California barber license
After completing a barber program approved by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, you must apply for an examination with $125 in fees. If successful at passing written exams (required) and practical skills tests, then licensing will be granted within California’s borders!
Pass the licensing exam
The barbering exam in California is a two-part test with 100 questions on the written and practical components. Candidates are given 90 minutes for each part, but it’s possible to finish within 3 hours if they take 15-minute breaks between sections of their examination at one time tested site. According to Board guidelines, Northern or Southern location depends upon which region you live in (there is only one permanent facility).
Renew your license
Your barber license should be renewed in the first odd-numbered year after passing the initial California exam. Every two years, it’s due for an updating, and a fee of $50 will get that done! If you pay late, though, there may be some extra costs involved, so make sure to keep up on all deadlines or else risk getting shut down by law enforcement officers who are looking out for cheaters among us.
Do Barbers Make a Lot of Money?
The national occupational employment statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), barbers have a mean hourly wage rate of $14.65 per hour with 90th percentile wages ranging from 23-24 dollars an hour and 75th through lowest 10% earning less than 20%. Barkeepers can expect between 37,49+/- thousand in annual salary or more if working for one employer, while Professional Hairdressers make around 45k annually on average.
The annual wages and average hourly barbering vary, but they can be as high or low according to your location. For instance:
Hourly: $16 (in New Jersey, San Francisco) Annual; 34k (Northeastern US). The hourly wage is around 15-20 dollars depending on the county you live in, with an average salary of over 32 thousand per year, making them one of those well-paid professions primarily. If they work at busy shops where many men prefer getting their hair cut every week, these establishments provide excellent services and offer reasonable discount rates for regular customers.
Conclusion
The process to become a barber in California is not difficult, but it does take time. If you want to be a licensed professional with the potential for an average salary of $37,000 per year, check out our blog post on how to get started! We have simple steps and information about the cost of training programs to decide if this career path will work for you.
